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system”. In this parallel system voters have two votes, one vote for FPTP
candidate and another one for list PR candidates. The 2007 constitution
followed this parallel system with minor changes. In the current 2017
constitution, though there are still both list PR MPs and FPTP MPs, voters
had only one vote, namely vote for FPTP candidate in each constituency,
then the number of list PR MPs will be calculated from the percentage
of votes that each party has got from every constituencies.
This electoral system of 2017 constitution, which the media
called the “one ballot system”, caused plenty of problems, therefore
the system has been changed by a constitutional amendment in 2021.
The amendment brought the electoral system of Thailand back to the
parallel system, similar to the electoral system of the 1997 Constitution,
known as “two ballots system”.
Nevertheless, the parallel system may not be the best or most
suitable electoral system for Thailand. The main problem is that it is
a system that is dominated by the FPTP system, because there are
400 MPs (80 %) from FPTP and only 100 MPs (20 %) from the list PR.
FPTP is well-known as the electoral system that causes “wasted votes”
and creates advantages only for the biggest party. Although, unlike the
constitution 1997, there is no threshold for list PR election and therefore